All you need to know about World Cup final referee Slavko Vinčić

Slovenian referee Slavko Vinčić will take charge of football's biggest match as the official for the 2026 World Cup final between Spain and Argentina.

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First of all, a shock. Then happiness. I was shaking. It’s an incredible honour to get the World Cup final.

At 46 years old, Vinčić makes history as the first Slovenian to referee a FIFA World Cup final. The appointment came as an emotional surprise from FIFA Chief Refereeing Officer Pierluigi Collina, fulfilling what Vinčić described as a lifelong dream. "It's an incredible honour to get the World Cup final," he stated, expressing immense pride in representing his country, Slovenia, on the world's largest sporting stage.

This will be Vinčić's second World Cup, having officiated two group-stage matches in the 2022 tournament in Qatar. His performances in the 2026 competition, including matches like Brazil vs Morocco and Mexico vs Ecuador, earned him the prestigious final assignment. His World Cup journey began in 2022 and has now culminated in this significant role.

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It’s only a dream for a referee when they start their career. I’m very proud of myself and my team.

Vinčić is no stranger to high-stakes matches, having already refereed major finals. In 2024, he officiated the Champions League final at Wembley, where Real Madrid defeated Borussia Dortmund. He also took charge of the 2022 UEFA Europa League final between Eintracht Frankfurt and Rangers, becoming only the second Slovenian referee, after Damir Skomina, to officiate Europe's premier club final.

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It’s very difficult to put everything into words, but I’m very proud to represent my country, Slovenia, at the biggest sporting event in the world. My team is very proud, and we will do our best.

Vinčić emphasized that the honor is shared with his officiating team, including assistant referees Tomaž Klančnik and Andraž Kovačič. He described their relationship as a "good team" built on friendship and collaboration, highlighting that refereeing is fundamentally a team effort. FIFA's decision followed weeks of assessment, with on-field performances being the primary factor in the appointment.

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Refereeing is all about teamwork. Without them, without Tomaž and Andraž, this is not possible. I’m really happy that I’ve had them throughout my career. We are really good friends, a good team, and thanks to them.